2027 Best Value Criminology Schools in Ohio
[Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong criminology education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value criminology schools.
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2027 Best Value Criminology Schools in Ohio
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminology Schools
Cleveland State University earned the #1 spot for value among criminology schools in Ohio. Set in the city of Cleveland, Cleveland State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,982, compared with $18,502 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the criminology program here. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Cleveland State University generally make around $32,393. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Cleveland State University admits about 91% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Wright State University Main Campus one of the best values for criminology. Located in the suburb of Dayton, Wright State University Main Campus is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,991, compared with $20,691 for out-of-state students. Criminology graduates carry a median of $27,250 in student loans. Criminology graduates of Wright State University Main Campus earn a median of $37,476 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Wright State University Main Campus admits about 96% of applicants.
Ohio State University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Criminology graduates carry a median of $21,922 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $39,396. That is a strong return on a $21,922 median debt. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Otterbein University earned it the #4 place for criminology. Located in the suburb of Westerville, Otterbein University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,548. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $25,282. Early-career criminology graduates make about $45,871. Set against $25,282 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Otterbein University admits about 84% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in criminology will find it at Capital University, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Columbus, Capital University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $43,234. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of Capital University earn a median of $32,984 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 70%.
Bowling Green State University Main Campus ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value criminology schools. Set in the town of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,912, compared with $21,900 for out-of-state students. Criminology graduates carry a median of $25,449 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $57,019. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Bowling Green State University Main Campus admits about 81% of applicants.
Tiffin University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value criminology schools. Located in the town of Tiffin, Tiffin University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $34,790. Students borrow a median of $30,977 to complete the criminology program here. Criminology graduates of Tiffin University earn a median of $52,914 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $30,977 median debt. Tiffin University admits about 80% of applicants.
More Criminology Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
